Waymo plans to begin testing autonomous Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan in 2027, expanding its partnership with Toyota as the companies explore opportunities to deploy robotaxis in international markets, including the United Kingdom.
Under the agreement announced on Friday, Toyota will manufacture the 2027 bZ4X vehicles and integrate Waymo’s autonomous driving system at its Takaoka factory in Japan. The electric SUV is marketed as the bZ in North America.
Japan Testing to Support International Expansion
The vehicles will initially undergo testing in Japan, where Waymo has expressed ambitions to eventually introduce a robotaxi service. The partnership also targets other right-hand-drive markets, including the U.K., where the autonomous driving company is preparing for a potential commercial launch.
Waymo has been testing its self-driving Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in London for several months. The company intends to introduce a robotaxi service in the city once it secures the required regulatory permits.
Using Toyota’s bZ4X platform could give Waymo another vehicle option for markets where right-hand-drive configurations are required, while expanding its robotaxi fleet beyond existing models.
Partnership Builds on Earlier Agreement
The latest announcement follows an agreement signed by Toyota and Waymo approximately 18 months ago to explore the development and deployment of an autonomous vehicle platform.
The new arrangement provides a more concrete direction for that cooperation, with Toyota taking responsibility for vehicle manufacturing and the integration of Waymo’s self-driving technology. The initial focus is on supplying vehicles for Waymo’s robotaxi operations in selected international markets.
However, the companies are also considering applications beyond commercial ride-hailing services. They said they would continue exploring ways to bring Waymo’s autonomous driving technology to privately owned Toyota vehicles.
Broader Focus on Road Safety
Toyota and Waymo also plan to examine additional initiatives that could use insights from Waymo’s real-world autonomous vehicle operations to improve safety for other road users.
Waymo Expands Driverless Ride-Hailing Coverage Across Five US Markets
The companies have not disclosed specific details about these initiatives. However, Toyota Executive Vice President and board member Hiroki Nakajima indicated that the collaboration could extend to the relationship between vehicles and road infrastructure.
“This collaboration will help scale that technology and bring it to customers in Japan and beyond through Waymo’s ride-hailing service, and in parallel, Toyota will continue to explore how integrating vehicles with traffic infrastructure can make those roads safer still,” he said in a statement.
The partnership therefore combines Toyota’s vehicle manufacturing capabilities with Waymo’s autonomous driving technology, while leaving room for further cooperation in privately owned vehicles and broader road-safety applications.